Prison and Probation Services

Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to expand privatisation, market testing or contestability into the prison and probation services.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: We have no plans to privatise the Prison Service or the National Probation Service. Contestability is the principle of improving quality and value for money through opening up to competition the delivery of custodial and community services for offenders. We shall make further announcements in due course.

Offenders: Residential Bail Conditions

Lord Avebury: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the courts have sufficient powers to require persistent offenders with a drug or alcohol habit to reside in an establishment where they can be treated, as a condition of bail; and whether there are enough places in residential establishments specifically for persons on bail.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Approved Premises and Offender Housing Strategy for Higher Risk Offenders was published on 8 September 2004. This sets out the Government's policy on the use of places in approved premises, formerly known as bail and probation hostels. As part of the implementation of the strategy, the National Probation Service will be undertaking a needs mapping exercise to establish levels of demand for places in approved premises for those on licence, community orders and bail. This analysis will include identification of potential levels of demand for alternative placements for those bailees who do not require the levels of enhanced supervision provided by approved premises.

Gambling Bill

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord McIntosh of Haringey on 3 March (WA 43), whether the Lord McIntosh of Haringey or the Minister for Sport or his officials discussed the proposals in the Gambling Bill with Kerzner International; and whether Kerzner International made any representations on the potential significance of a regional or large casino to the financial viability of plans to regenerate the Millennium Dome complex and the North Greenwich peninsula.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As already indicated in my reply to the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham, on 3 March (WA 43), such discussions have taken place; but no such representations were made.

European Stability and Growth Pact

Lord Dykes: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they are satisfied with the result of the European Union stability and growth pact revisions which are currently being negotiated.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: Discussion of stability and growth pact (SGP) reform is ongoing. The Government continue to support a prudent interpretation of the SGP that takes account of country-specific factors including debt sustainability, the economic cycle and public investment.

Disabled People

Lord Vinson: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will give the breakdown by disability of the 10 million persons who were announced by the Department for Work and Pensions as being disabled; how many of these qualify for disabled parking; and what number are wheelchair-bound.

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The information requested is contained in the tables below.
	
		Adults in Britain likely to be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act
		
			  Millions 
			 Area of significant difficult  
			 Mobility (moving about) 6.1 
			 Lift, carry, move everyday objects 5.9 
			 Manual dexterity (using hands for everyday tasks) 2.4 
			 Continence (bladder control) 1.2 
			 Communication (speak, listen, read, write) 1.3 
			 Memory, concentration, learning, understanding 1.7 
			 Understanding when in physical danger 0.4 
			 Other area of life 1.5 
		
	
	Note:
	Family Resources Survey 2002–03, Great Britain
	Note:
	1. The Family Resources Survey has a large sample size and response rate and therefore provides a robust estimate of those likely to be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.
	2. As many disabled people have more than one impairment, figures will total more than 10 million.
	
		Parking Badges for disabled people issued in 2003
		
			Thousands 
			  All badges Badges on issue to individuals Badges on issue to institutions 
			 England 2,031 2,005 27 
			 Wales 205 203 2 
			 Scotland *217 205 3 
		
	
	Sources:
	Department for Transport Bulletin of Public Transport Statistics, Great Britain (2004 Edition); The National Assembly for Wales, Welsh Transport Statistics 2004; and Scottish Executive, Scottish Transport Statistics 2004
	Note:
	Figures in the "All badges Scotland" column include 10,000 cases where it is not known if issued to individuals or institutions.
	There are no reliable statistics on the number of people in Great Britain who normally use a wheelchair. However, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister estimates the number of people needing to use a wheelchair on some occasions in England as 542,000 for April 2003 to March 2004.

Disability Benefits

Lord Morris of Manchester: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What targeting work is undertaken by the Department for Work and Pensions to increase the take-up of disability and carer benefits by those eligible; what results have so far been achieved; and whether any further action is being considered to increase the take-up of the DLA/AA (disability living allowance/attendance allowance).

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: Entitlement to disability living allowance and attendance allowance can be reliably established only after a claim has been made and the care and mobility needs of the individual customer fully assessed. For this reason we cannot reliably calculate the number of people receiving the benefits as a proportion of the overall eligible population.
	The department does, however, go to considerable lengths to publicise benefits. Information is available from the department's offices, from the citizens advice bureau and other advice agencies, and leaflets are available in post offices and doctors' surgeries. In addition, information and advice about disability benefits is provided by the benefit inquiry line. For people with Internet access, information about all benefits and how these may be claimed is also contained on the DWP website.
	We are increasingly developing closer working relationships with partners such as local authority social services and welfare rights organisations which are able to advise people about disability benefits in a far more targeted and personal way than would be possible through any mass disability awareness campaigns.
	In the five years to August 2004, the number of people receiving DLA increased by 26 per cent, and by 4 per cent. in the past 12 months alone. For AA the increases are 11 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.

Benefit Fraud

Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Hollis of Heigham on 10 February (WA 138) on benefit fraud, which benefits are included in the table under "contributions from unmeasured benefits".

Baroness Hollis of Heigham: The benefits included in the table under "contributions from unmeasured benefits" are; council tax benefit, winter fuel payments, statutory maternity pay, widows' benefit, bereavement benefits, severe disablement allowance, industrial injuries and death benefits, over 75 TV licence, social fund payments, independent living funds, maternity allowance, Christmas bonus, statutory sick pay, New Deal payments, Motability/specialised vehicles fund, job grant, vaccine damage payments and pensions compensation board payments.

Nuclear Power Stations

Baroness Miller of Hendon: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Sainsbury of Turville on 23 February (WA 209–10), whether it is a matter for them or for the market to propose the construction of a new nuclear power station.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: In common with all generation options, the initiative for bringing forward proposals to construct new plant lies with the market.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Answer by the Lord Whitty on 26 January (Official Report, col. 1261), how many badgers are estimated to live in Cornwall; how many cattle have been slaughtered in the past four years because of bovine tuberculosis infection in Cornwall; how many cattle, based on current trends, will be slaughtered in 2005 and 2006 in Cornwall; and what will be the cost of their slaughter.

Lord Whitty: The number of badgers in Cornwall is not available. However, the badger population for GB as a whole in the mid-1990s was in the region of 300,000–400,000 1 .
	The number of cattle slaughtered 2 under TB control measures in Cornwall between 2001 and 2004 are detailed in the table below.
	
		
			 Year Cattle slaughtered  2 
			 2001 3 801 
			 2002 3 2,917 
			 2003 2,414 
			 2004 2,351 
		
	
	Notes:
	Source:
	The National Badger Survey, Wilson, Harris and McLaren, 1997
	2 TB reactors plus direct contacts. Data downloaded from the State Veterinary Service database on 18–19 January 2005 (2004 data downloaded on 8–9 February 2005). 2002–04 data provisional and subject to change as more data become available.
	3 In 2001, the TB testing and control programme was largely suspended due to the foot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreak. When testing resumed in 2002, resources were concentrated on herds with overdue TB tests which would have had a longer period in which to contract the disease. Also the proportion of high-risk herds tested immediately after the FMD outbreak was greater than that prior to the outbreak. As a result, data for 2001 and 2002 are not comparable with other years.
	It is not possible to predict accurately the numbers of cattle which will be slaughtered in Cornwall in 2005 and 2006, or the cost of doing so.

Wildlife and Countryside Act: General Licences

Baroness Byford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether farmers or users will be required to demonstrate that appropriate non-lethal methods of control are ineffective or impractical following the changes to the general licences issued under Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Lord Whitty: Farmers and users of general licences are not required to demonstrate that appropriate non-lethal methods of control are ineffective or impractical.
	On 9 March 2005, in order to clear up misunderstanding in relation to the obligation regarding appropriate non-lethal methods, Defra amended the wording of the general licence condition to read,
	"This licence can only be relied on in circumstances where the authorised person is satisfied that appropriate non-lethal methods of control such as scaring are either ineffective or impracticable."
	A press notice was issued and the revised licences were published on the Defra website. A copy of the press notice can be accessed via the following link: www.defra.gov.uk/news/2005/050309c.htm.

Duchy of Lancaster: Labour Party Officials

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 25 January (WA 156), how many paid or unpaid Labour Party officials work in support of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster as opposed to the Duchy of Lancaster; what resources are made available to them; and what expenses they have claimed in respect of each of their activities; and
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 23 February (WA 211), how many paid or unpaid Labour Party officials work in support of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster outside his private office or the Cabinet Office; what resources are made available to them; and what expenses they have claimed in respect of each of their activities.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: As my Answer of 25 January made clear, there are no paid or unpaid Labour Party officials working in support of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in his official duties.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What is the implementation programme for the introduction of digital tachographs for heavy goods vehicles.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: Updated digital tachograph implementation dates are expected to be included in a revised EU regulation on drivers' hours. The legislation containing the new implementation dates is currently with the European Parliament for a Second Reading. No dates have yet been set for when this legislation might be formally adopted.
	Nevertheless the Government, through their agencies VOSA and the DVLA, still expect to be able to facilitate the use of digital tachographs in GB from August 2005 onwards.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many heavy goods vehicle drivers there are in the United Kingdom; and how many of them have been issued with the necessary driver's card to operate the digital tachograph.

Lord Davies of Oldham: DVLA's records currently show that there are 1,737,636 vocational driving licence holders. This figure includes holders of both PSV and HGV licences. The records do not, however, indicate how many of these are actually using their licences. In 2003, the latest year for which we have figures, there were 426,000 goods vehicles and 96,000 public transport vehicles registered. This suggests that the number of active drivers is lower than the figures given above.
	To date no driver cards have been issued to any drivers in the United Kingdom, nor are there any commercially available digital tachographs on the market.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

Earl Attlee: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether, under the Road Vehicles (Authorisation of Special Types) (General) Order (S.I. 2003/1998), a chief constable has any role in discouraging the use of 16.5 tonne axles on a category three vehicle operated in accordance with the order.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Under the said order, a chief officer of police may only give the user of the vehicle, or vehicle-trailer combination, directions in relation to time, date or route of their journey.
	In addition, a police constable may give directions to stop the vehicle, either in the interests of road safety or to avoid undue traffic congestion.

Road Traffic Accidents

Lord Brougham and Vaux: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many, and what percentage, of people killed or injured in road traffic accidents involving passenger vehicles in the United Kingdom were not taxed, insured or in possession of a valid MoT certificate, in the past year for which figures are available; and how these figures compare to the four previous years.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested is not available.